German Fernandez (USA) (© Kirby Lee)
German Fernandez, an 18-year-old Californian who attends Oklahoma State University, yesterday (28 Feb) won the indoor Big 12 Championships Mile in 3:55.02 and returned to the track three hours later to win the 3000m in 7:57.71.
Fernandez had already made the global headlines in January after running the fastest ever indoor Mile in history by a junior athlete – see Related Content – under photograph. On Saturday 24 January at the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas, he had run 3:56.50.
Fernandez’s times were certainly excellent for an 18-year-old, but more impressive was the seeming effortlessness of his runs. He led from the gun in the Mile and won by more than 9.5 seconds, clicking off successive quarter miles in 58.6, 58.4, 59.3 and 58.7. In the 3000 he shared the pace with others, and then went solo for the last kilometre in 2:30.62.
Fernandez, having established himself as favourite for the NCAA mile two weeks from now on this same track, has after his defence of his national junior XC title on 7 February reportedly opted to run in the junior race at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Jordan, Amman.
The women’s Mile was almost at the same level of performance, though much more hotly contested Jennifer Barringer, a University of Colorado student who finished ninth in the Beijing 3000m steeplechase, ran most of the way with Kenyan Sally Kipyego of Texas Tech, then cruised through a 1:03.8 final 440 yards to a 20-metre victory in 4:25.81, a collegiate record.
Other impressive performances were turned in by Desiree Hooker (younger sister of Olympic 200m finalist Marshevet) and Porscha Lucas. Miss Hooker won the High Jump with a 1.94m PB, then had two good misses at 1.98; and Miss Lucas won the 200 metres with the year’s second fastest time, 22.94.
James Dunaway for the IAAF
